Stock pusher



Aug. 24, 1948. J. M INGALLS STOCK PUSHER 2 Sheets -Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 10, 1946 VIIIIII 'IIIII\I mg; 24, 1948. J. M. IN'GALLS STOCK PUSHER 2 Sh eetS -Sheet 2 Filed Jan.' 10, 1946 Patented Aug. 24, 1948 s'rocn PUSHER John M. Ingalls, Windsor, Vt assignor to Cone Automatic Machine Company, Inc., Windsor,

Vt., a corporation of Vermont Application January 10, 1946, Serial No. (i40,172

' Claims. (131.279-60) This invention relates to stock pushers such as are employed for automatic lathe and screw ma- A further object of the invention is to provide a construction adapted to take stock of different sizes and to center the stock with reference to the work-carrying spindle.

Still another object is to provide such a pusher of simple and few parts.

Still another object is to provide a stock pusher capable of taking the largest diameter stock which can be passed through the actuating sleeve to whichthe pusher is secured.

Still another object is to provide a pusher having a part secured to the actuatingsleeve and one or more other parts held assembledwith the first mentioned part with capability of stock gripping and releasing motion, the parts having confronting faces so shaped that on forward motion of the first mentioned part, the other part or parts are forced toward stock gripping positions, while on retracting motion of the first mentioned part, the other part or parts release the work piece.

For a complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which I t Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pusher embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figures 3 and 4 are perspective views of the stock engaging pusher part carried by the actuating sleeVe and the cooperating stock engaging pusher parts, respectively.

Figures 5 and 6 are fragmentary longitudinal sectional views on line :t.r of Figure 2 showing the pusher in stock gripping and releasing conditions, respectively.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly broken away and in section of a stock pusher designed to receive stock of a larger diameter than is the construction shown in Figures 1 to 6, inclusive.

Figures 8 and 9 are views similar to Figures 3 and 4, respectively but showing the construction of Figure '7.

Figure 10 is a sectional view on line Ill-l0 of Figure 7. v

Figure 11.is a side elevation showing a modified construction. I v

Figures 12 and 13 are side elevations of the two stock gripper parts, respectively, which together, constitute the gripping elements of the construc. tion shown in Figure 11.

Figure 14 is a front end elevation of the pusher shown in Figure 11.

Figures 15 and 16 are detail sectional views on, lines I5-! 5 and I 6-46, respectively, of Figure 11.

Figure 17 is a sectional view on line I'I-ll of Figure 14 and showing stock in dotted lines.

Referring first to the construction shown in. Figures 1 to 6, the pusher as shown comprises a sleeve l which may have a reduced threaded rear extremity 2 for attachment to a mating threaded portion at the'forward end of an actuating sleeve (not shown) in accordance with usual practice. The sleeve is provided with an internal boreto receive the stock which is to be pushed thereby.

As shown best in Figure 3, the forward end of the sleeve is cut back through its full thickness at a plurality of places spaced angularly about the sleeve axis, as shown there being two such cut back places. Each is formed by two out surfaces 3 and 4 which are inclined toward each other away from the forward end of the sleeve and both laterally of the sleeve axis and which merge into holes 5 which provide against the starting of cracks which would be likely to occur should the surfaces 3 and 4 meet in sharp angular relationship.

Where the stock is of substantially smaller diameter than the normal interior of the pusher, the sleeve is provided with a tapered interior as shown at 5 in Figure 6, leading from the maximum internal diameter portion 1 to the minimum diameter portion at 8. Cooperating with the sleeve are stock gripping segments In, one for each of the cut out portions of the sleeve and each having inclined faces I l and I2 complementaltothe surfaces 4 and 3 of the cut out portions and a tapered interior mating the taper 6. These segments have opposed portions I4 and interior bore surfaces l5 which partially complete the periphery of the opening through which the stock shown at a in Figure 5 extends and engage and clamp the stock when the pusher is moved forwardly. The side faces of the segments are cut away as at IE to slide freely between the portions ll of the sleeve between the cut away portions.

It will be evident that as the segments are moved backwardly along the sleeve, the inclined faces 3 and ill will guide the segments inwardly toward the axis of the sleeve, bringing the faces l of the segments toward the stock a and the segments will be held inwardly by the wedging of the faces II and 12 between the faces 4 and 3, and that as the segments are moved outwardly, they are moved away from the surface of the stock and are therefore released from wedging engagement. The segments and sleeve are held in assembled relation by means which permit suflicient relative axial motion of the parts to provide the desired gripping and releasing actions of the segments with relation to the sleeve. The means for doing this comprises one or more. split spring rings 20 which are seated in peripheral grooves 2| in the segments of sufficient width to freely receive the rings and which lie within widened peripheral grooves 22 in the outer faces of the portion ll of the sleeve. These springs thus tend to locate the segments with relation to each other for in and out axial motions, but permit the segments to move freely axially of the sleeve between the limits imposed by the end portions of the grooves 22 of the sleeve, the grooves 2| of the segment registering with the grooves 22 of the sleeve throughout this limited relative axial motion. As the pusher is moved forwardly over the stock, frictional engagement of the segments Ill thereon will tend to retard the forward motion of the segmentswith the sleeve, and this relative axial motion will cause the segments to be wedged against the face of the stock. On the other hand, as the sleeve is withdrawn over the work, the frictional engagement of the segments will tend to delay their motion with the sleeve and thus cause a relative outward sliding which acts to relieve them from gripping pressure against the work. This-relative positioning of the segments and sleeve in forward pushing and gripping relation is shown in Figure 5, while the relation during retraction is shown in Figure 6.

Where the stock is of a larger diameter than shown in Figures 5 and 6, the smallest diameter of the sleeve and segments are correspondingly enlarged and the taper portions shortened until for the maximum size ofv stock which the pusher will take, which is that which will slide easily through the larger diameter portion 6 of the sleeve, the taper portions are entirely absent and the portions [6 of the segments are also so reduced that the segments are substantially ring form as illustrated in Figures 7 and 9. The internal diameters of the sleeve and the segments are then substantially equal to .the diameter of the stock, except that the segments may move sufficiently toward and from the axis of the stock as to grip or release it in accordance with the direction of motion of the sleeve I with relation to the work.

In Figures 11 to 17, a modification is shown in which only .one segment separate from the sleeve is employed, the sleeve itself forming one side of the gripping mechanism while the segment forms the opposite side. Referring to these figures, the sleeve la is provided with a single cut away portion having the opposed walls 3a and 4a which are inclined toward each other and which terminate at the drilled holes 5a which are, in turn, connected by the wall 25. Cooperating with this sleeve is the segment Illa having walls Ho and lid complemental to thewalls 3a andAa of the sleeve. Both of the walls 3a and 4a slope backwarly and laterally of the sleeve axis in such a direction that the backwardmotion of the segment therein brings it laterally toward gripping relation with the stock within the sleeve,

The segment is held assembled with the sleeve with provision for axial and lateral motion, as by the split spring ring 20a, which is retained within a groove 2| a of the segment of sufficient width to freely receive it and which engages in a wide groove 22a of the sleeve. The interior walls of both the segment and the sleeve toward the forward-end of the segment are of an internal diameter only suflicient to receive the stock b as shown in Figure 17, and clamp or release the same on rearward or forward axial motion of the segment, respectively, with relation thereto. Thus as the sleeve is pushed forwardly, the stock is gripped between the segment and the sleeve, and as it is moved rearwardly, the segment dragging on the work and moving outwardly with relation to'the sleeve, releases the stock from gripping engagement.

From the foregoing description of certain embodiments of this invention, it should be evident to those skilled in the art that various further changes and modifications might be made without-departing from the spirit or scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described, comprising a sleeve through which stock may extend, said sleeve having a portion of its full thickness adjacent to its outer end cut away on surfaces non-parallel to the axis of said sleeve, a stockengaging segment having faces complemental to said surfaces and substantially filling the cut away portion. and means for holding saidsegment in assembled relation to said sleeve with capability of limited relative axial motion, whereby engagement of the stock by said segment tends to grip or release said stock between said segment and sleeve as said sleeve is moved axially in one or the other direction.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a sleeve through which stock may extend, said sleeve having a portion adjacent to its outer end cut away on surfaces non-parallel to the axis of said sleeve and inclined toward each other away from said outer end, a stock-engaging segment having faces complemental to said surfaces and substantially filling the cut away portion, and means for holding said segment in assembled relation to sid sleeve with capability of relative axial motion, whereby engagement of the stock by said segment tends to grip or release said stock between said segment and sleeve as said sleeve is .moved axially toward or from said end.

3. A device of the class described, comprising parts including a sleeve through which stock may extend, said sleeve having a portion of its full thickness adjacent to one end cut away on surfaces non-parallel to the axis of said sleeve, another of said parts comprising a stock-engaging segment having faces complemented to said surfaces and substantially filling the cut away portion of said sleeve, said sleeve and segment having registering peripheral grooves, and a split spring ring surrounding said sleeve and segment and lying in said grooves and of less width than certain of said grooves.

l. A device of the class described, comprising parts including a sleeve through which stock may extend, said sleeve having a portion adjacent to one end cut away on surfaces non-parallel to the axis of said sleeve, another of said parts comprising a, stock-engaging segment having faces complemental' to said surfaces and substantially filling the cut away portion of said sleeve, said sleeve and segment having peripheral grooves, and a split spring ring surrounding said sleeve and segment and lying in said grooves, the groove in one of said parts being substantially wider than said spring ring whereby said other part and said ring may move axially of said one part.

5. A device of the class described, comprising a sleeve through which stock may extend, said sleeve being cut back from one end in a plurality of places spaced angularly about its axis along surfaces inclined toward each other in pairs away from said end, a stock-engaging segment having faces complemental to said surfaces and. substantially filling each of said out back places, and means holding said segments 15 2,299,972

assembled with said sleeve with capability of limited axial motion relative thereto, said axial motion causing said segments to move toward or from the axis of said sleeve.

JOHN M. INGALLS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 10 file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,679,515 Cone Aug. 7, 1928 Gallen et al. Oct. 27, 1942 

